>> kristen welker tonight, thank you. >>> now to the other big story that has consumed washington in the days since the election. the so-called fiscal cliff looming at the end of the year. if democrats and republicans can't come together and agree on a deal to avert it, taxes are going to go up for most americans. we get the latest tonight from nbc's mike viqueira. >> reporter: today top democrats drew a hard line. it's either higher taxes on the wealthy or the nation goes over the fiscal cliff. >> if the republicans will not agree with that, we will reach a point at the end of this year where all the tax cuts expire, and we'll start over next year. >> reporter: this as one influential conservative called on republicans to give ground. >> let's have a serious debate. don't scream and yell where one person says, you know what? really? the republican party's going to fall on its sword? a bunch of millionaires half of whom voted democratic and half of whom live in hollywood. >> reporter: but house speaker john boehner rejects any hike in tax rates. instead he would close loopholes in th